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4. There is such a creature as a Hoop Snake, which rolls like a 

 hoop. 



5. There is a Horn Snake, with a venomous horn at the end of 

 its tail. 



6. Snakes are blind once per month, and regularly during ''dog 

 days." 



7. Snakes molt or shed their skin each month. 



8. Serpents can blow out or spit poison. 



9. Snakes chase and attack people without provocation. 



10. Serpents and other reptiles are slimy. 



11. Certain kinds of snakes milk or suck cows. 



12. When snakes are killed the tails do not die until the sun goes 

 down or until it thunders. 



13. Kill a snake and turn it over to bring rain. 



14. Snakes spring or jump from the ground at their victims. 



15. Snakes strike from a truly coiled position. 



16. When a firearm is pointed at the snake the reptile draws its 

 own bead and it is impossible to miss it or shoot it anywhere but 

 in the head. 



17. The yellow rattlers are females and the black, males. 



18. A snake can be made to put out its legs by dropping it into 

 fire. 



19. Snakes lose their venom by being deprived of water for six 

 days or more. 



*20. Snakes are supposed to have medicinal properties as follows: 



(a) Galls of snakes recoiumended for their bite. 



(b) Their oil for rheumatism, baldness and deafness. 



(c) Their skin worn for rheumatism and stiffness. 



(d) A snake heart, oil or blood for consumption or other ills. 



(e) Its flpsh to be eaten for blood disorders or other trou- 



bles. 



(f) A second bite of the same snake in the same place to 



cure or counteract its first bite. 



(g) The rattles of snakes as charms. 



(h) Other parts of serpents for various cures, preventives or 

 charms. 

 The myths concerning serpents are numerous, and new bits of 

 local folk lore of reptiles come to us every week. For example, 

 it is a popular belief that snakes sting with the tongue. This may 

 be due to the Scriptural expression, "stingeth like an adder." The 

 Scripture did not say the stinging is done by the tongue, or is 

 not done by the tooth, and the reader at once infers that the 

 tongue is the stinging organ, and thus falls into a serious error. 



•Since this Bulletin was set in type we have heard of the common belief that Snakes, Lizards, 

 Frogs, Salamanders, etc., live in the human stomach. After many efforts this belief can not 

 be verified, and we consider it a decided error. — H. A. S. 



